Mark Thrower, a primary teacher working at Jeffries Primary and Nursery School in Nottingham UK, is a longtime contributor to www.thinkingclassroom.co.uk. He's embarked on a project to infuse multiple intelligences into his classroom practice. See what he gets up to here!
Favourite Quote
"...you have to be a little madder than they are..." - John Jones
I try to be a little madder than they are everyday. Achieves certain things:
1. Keeps them on their toes
2. Keeps me on my toes
3. Above all, engages children with their learning!
My journey
Well over a year ago my then deputy, now fantastic head, guided me towards developing thinkings skills, learning styles and multiple intelligences within my teaching and the children's learning. I dabbled, becamed hooked and have researched various things meanwhile.
This year I decided, using Mike's help, to teach using a complete MI classroom! A brave step but we love it!!!
Step 1: Research
Step 2: Organise Classroom using a very capable Teaching Assisstant who is willing to dive in head first!
Step 3: Develop MI profiles of all learners (including staff involved with class)
Step 4: Work with children on MI understsanding
Step 5: Get involved as much as possible and be part of the learning experience!
One really noticable thing from day one!
Children love Stick Insects! These are a must for any Nature Smart area! Easy to care for, inexpensive to keep, great to hold and interesting to observe.
How to introduce MI to learners?
Pictures of famous people including Albert Einstein, Tony Blair, David Beckham, Beyonce Knowles (I also included people that were specific to the interests of the learners in our class - Darren Shan, Tracey Beaker, etc). Ask the learners what they think these people excel at...what are they famous for? Put picture in middle of large sheet of paper...Learners move around from picture to picture writing down the skills needed to their job. This creates some great discussion between the learners...I wanted to sit back and observe for ages!!
Introduce the different intelligences - Ask the children if they can link the skills to the intelligences.
Time to delve into their intelligences - Take pictures of the children and place on a piece of paper - Learners repeat the excercise with their peers - result? - Automatic appreciation of different peoples skills and realisation that - EVERYONE IS INTELLIGENT!
MI profiles
All learners (including staff) completed a profile of their intelligences....finding?.....The majority of the learners (including staff) are not linguistic or logical! Mostly Naturalistic, Visual and Bodily!! This was a wake up call....I had spent a good five years teaching in a way that most children would find hard to access. So now it's lots of outdoor, hands on, engaging, fun, discussion, enlightening learning.....result.....a massive impact on learning attitude. Learners know how best they learn, how best to show their learning and they also know when they are ready to learn!
The Fairground - an MI idea
Learners loved this activity as it called upon so many skills that the learners felt truly challenged. That had a chance to apply their skills and develop their weaker intelligences.
Task: Design a fairground with a theme (including costings, maintenance, etc)
Originally this would have all been paper based!!
Some of the activities included: Linguistic - Advertising poster, Radio advert, Research and Surveys Logical - Mapping, Costings, Maintenance costs, Survey compilation Bodily - TV advert, Model Making Interpersonal - Group facilitation, Survey distribution Intrapersonal - Organising self Visual - Model Making, Advertising campaign, Mapping
Musical - Radio Jingle, Sound effects for the rides
Existential - Survey compilation
Work in progress!!!
Groups
I now have no set groups!! When groups are used learners are now given the task and they (unaided) refer to one anothers strengths and intelligences and base their group choices accordingy! WOW!
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Throweck's MI Corner
Mark Thrower, a primary teacher working at Jeffries Primary and Nursery School in Nottingham UK, is a longtime contributor to www.thinkingclassroom.co.uk. He's embarked on a project to infuse multiple intelligences into his classroom practice. See what he gets up to here!
Favourite Quote"...you have to be a little madder than they are..." - John Jones
I try to be a little madder than they are everyday. Achieves certain things:
1. Keeps them on their toes
2. Keeps me on my toes
3. Above all, engages children with their learning!
My journey
Well over a year ago my then deputy, now fantastic head, guided me towards developing thinkings skills, learning styles and multiple intelligences within my teaching and the children's learning. I dabbled, becamed hooked and have researched various things meanwhile.
This year I decided, using Mike's help, to teach using a complete MI classroom! A brave step but we love it!!!
Step 1: Research
Step 2: Organise Classroom using a very capable Teaching Assisstant who is willing to dive in head first!
Step 3: Develop MI profiles of all learners (including staff involved with class)
Step 4: Work with children on MI understsanding
Step 5: Get involved as much as possible and be part of the learning experience!
One really noticable thing from day one!
Children love Stick Insects! These are a must for any Nature Smart area! Easy to care for, inexpensive to keep, great to hold and interesting to observe.
How to introduce MI to learners?
Pictures of famous people including Albert Einstein, Tony Blair, David Beckham, Beyonce Knowles (I also included people that were specific to the interests of the learners in our class - Darren Shan, Tracey Beaker, etc). Ask the learners what they think these people excel at...what are they famous for? Put picture in middle of large sheet of paper...Learners move around from picture to picture writing down the skills needed to their job. This creates some great discussion between the learners...I wanted to sit back and observe for ages!!
Introduce the different intelligences - Ask the children if they can link the skills to the intelligences.
Time to delve into their intelligences - Take pictures of the children and place on a piece of paper - Learners repeat the excercise with their peers - result? - Automatic appreciation of different peoples skills and realisation that - EVERYONE IS INTELLIGENT!
MI profiles
All learners (including staff) completed a profile of their intelligences....finding?.....The majority of the learners (including staff) are not linguistic or logical! Mostly Naturalistic, Visual and Bodily!! This was a wake up call....I had spent a good five years teaching in a way that most children would find hard to access. So now it's lots of outdoor, hands on, engaging, fun, discussion, enlightening learning.....result.....a massive impact on learning attitude. Learners know how best they learn, how best to show their learning and they also know when they are ready to learn!
The Fairground - an MI idea
Learners loved this activity as it called upon so many skills that the learners felt truly challenged. That had a chance to apply their skills and develop their weaker intelligences.
Task: Design a fairground with a theme (including costings, maintenance, etc)
Originally this would have all been paper based!!
Some of the activities included:
Linguistic - Advertising poster, Radio advert, Research and Surveys
Logical - Mapping, Costings, Maintenance costs, Survey compilation
Bodily - TV advert, Model Making
Interpersonal - Group facilitation, Survey distribution
Intrapersonal - Organising self
Visual - Model Making, Advertising campaign, Mapping
Musical - Radio Jingle, Sound effects for the rides
Existential - Survey compilation
Work in progress!!!
Groups
I now have no set groups!! When groups are used learners are now given the task and they (unaided) refer to one anothers strengths and intelligences and base their group choices accordingy! WOW!
LOOK OUT FOR MORE IDEAS SOON!!!